Goodwill The Dalles grand opening Nov. 21

Shelves will soon be overflowing with merchandise and silver racks fully stocked with colorful fashions for the grand opening of Goodwill in The Dalles.

Beginning at 7 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, hundreds of customers are expected to fill more than 9,500 square feet of retail space when Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette (GICW) opens its 49th store. During each day of the four-day grand opening, shoppers have a chance to win one of five $100 Goodwill shopping sprees or one grand prize: a 55-inch flat screen TV. Free coffee will be available for the earliest shopping enthusiasts.

Located at 1218 W. Sixth St., the facility will employ as many as 30 people, two-thirds of whom have a barrier to employment.

When a donation is sold, ninety-five-cents of every dollar provides vocational opportunities — including jobs, job training and job-placement services — to people with barriers to employment.

In 2012, Goodwill’s Job Connection staff was able to find community employment for more than 10,000 Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington residents.

Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette’s programs served more than 52,000 local individuals in 2012.

Goodwill invites people in need of employment assistance to visit the new store’s Job Connection office or visit www.meetgoodwill.org.